


Secrets of the Chamber

by MissSparkles



Series: Golden Trio [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Corporal Punishment, Duelling, Gen, Good Basilisk, Snarky Severus Snape, The Golden Trio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 15:27:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7468992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSparkles/pseuds/MissSparkles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during the Chamber of Secrets after Hermione is attacked, Harry and Ron are trying to solve the mystery of who is attacking students. They discover some incredible things and with the help of Hermione, comfort the monster within the chamber. But not all is as it seems and the adventure is not over yet. </p><p>This is a trio centric story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secrets of the Chamber

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on Fanfiction.com and it's a story I really enjoyed writing. It's meant to be part of a series of golden trio centric stories although I've only done two stories so far. If you have any suggestions for future stories, I'd be interested to hear.
> 
> If you hate Snape, you might not enjoy this story, he's portrayed as snarky but ultimately not bad which I know is not everyone's cup of tea but please, no flames. 
> 
> There is a warning for minor language.

“There, she should be alright now,”

Harry and Ron watched anxiously as Professor Snape finished administering to their friend, Hermione. Earlier, she and another student had been attacked, except Hermione hadn’t been petrified. She’d been found unconscious with signs of having been cursed.

Not only that but she had a few cracked ribs and bruises as though some powerful force had seized her and threw her about. Harry and Ron had been horrified to find out that their friend had been attacked and in such a horrible way.

The damage had been so bad that Professor Snape had been recruited to give her some of his best healing potions. And although he still looked sour, he also had a serious air about him that told the two boys that he cared what happened to her. He was a true teacher who did care about the welfare of his students even if he’d never openly admit it.

He cast a baleful look in their direction before turning back to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. His tone was deadly serious as he said.

“She’ll need to be carefully monitored, we’re dealing with something unknown here.”

“You detected Dark Magic?” Professor McGonagall questioned and he nodded.

“But I’ve never seen anything like it, therefore I can’t be sure there won’t be side effects. Whoever did this was extremely powerful.”

“This is terrible,” Madam Pomfrey mumbled, wringing her hands slightly.

“The students are meant to be safe here but we can’t even defend them against this.”

“All we can do is be vigilant,” Snape said gravely before swishing round to face the two boys.

“What are you two still doing here?” he asked sharply.

“Now Severus, their concerned about their friend,” McGonagall replied him gently before looking straight at them.

“Boys, I’ll escort you back to Gryffindor Tower in a short while, please wait quietly.”

“Yes Professor,” they intoned and she turned back to her colleagues to discuss the situation.

“I can’t believe this,” Ron said, his skin paler than normal. “Who could have done this to Hermione?”

“I don’t know,” Harry said heavily. “But we’re going to find out somehow.”

Ron didn’t look very sure about this so Harry pressed on.

“At least we know it isn’t Malfoy, he’s nowhere near powerful enough to have done something like this.”

“Yeah,” Ron said softly. “But at the moment, we don’t have any suspects.”

“Something will turn up,” Harry said with more confidence then he felt. “It always does.”

Eventually the adults finished talking and the two young boys were taken back to their Common Room. For the next few days, they were miserable, missing their clever friend and wishing they knew what had happened to her. And sadly, things in general weren’t going well at all.

Everyone was just so tense, it was difficult to have any fun at all. It didn’t help that the teachers were having a hard time trying to hide how stressed they were. Harry and Ron had to be on their best behaviour in Potions class as Snape looked ready to rip into anyone who caused bother.

McGonagall was as usual pushing them hard but even more laidback teachers like Flitwick and Sprout were doing the same. Gilderoy Lockhart was just as useless as ever which was a real shame as this was the class everyone wanted to learn. Especailly since Hermione had been cursed, that gave students the impression there was a chance they could fight back should they ever encounter the one who had done it to her.

It didn’t help they didn’t even have Quidditch to distract them, it was considered just too risky. The only good thing about Hogwarts right now was they could still visit Hagrid, as long as it was either the middle of the day at the weekends, or just after dinner during the week.

They’d send him a note with Hedwig and he’d be waiting to escort them from the Great Hall to his hut. Poor Hagrid was very depressed about something and at first they thought he was just worried about what was going on at the school.

But they soon learned it was something else.

A few weeks later

“Follow the damn spiders,” Ron was cursing as he finished throwing up.

“What are Hagrid thinking?”

“He didn’t think they’d harm us,” Harry said softly, feeling worn out both emotionally and physically.

“Yeah well, got that wrong didn’t he,” Ron said harshly but Harry knew he was just so stressed at the moment, he had to let off some steam by ranting.

Harry didn’t really have any phobias that he knew of anyway but Ron had just faced his worst fear, magnified by about a hundred times. And Harry had to admit he’d probably never see a spider the same way after this night.

“At least we learned one thing,” Harry said quietly, thinking of that scene in the diary he’d seen.

“Hagrid was innocent and the real Heir is still out there.”

“Yeah,” Ron said shakily, now searching Hagrid’s larder, hoping to find something that would calm his nerves.

As he grabbed a bottle of what looked like Butterbear, he suddenly thought of something.

“But still, whoever it was back then, it can’t be the same person,” he said slowly as his shaking hands uncorked the unopened bottle and took a big swig. “I mean, it really sounds like it was a student back then so....it must be a student now.”

“Unless they’ve become a teacher,” Harry couldn’t help but point out as Ron offered him the bottle and he took it.

They both stared at each other for a moment.

“I don’t think so,” Ron finally said. “I don’t see any of them, well maybe Snape but he’s way too young to have been a student back then. I mean, even Malfoy said it was before his father’s time.”

“Maybe it’s someone’s grandchild,” Harry reasoned and Ron looked thoughtful at this.

“Could be,” he said slowly as Harry gave him back the bottle. “But....why now?”

That was a question Harry couldn’t answer.  After settling Fang in his basket, they headed back to the school and their Common Rooms. Once there, they collapsed, fully dressed and slept nearly twelve hours.

Consequently, they were late to breakfast and were among the last finishing. Ron was eating more than usual, mostly the sugary things and Harry knew he was still affected by what had happened.

Sadly, he wasn’t the only one to notice.

“Weasley, your manners are atrocious,” a biting voice snapped right behind them.

The two jumped and turned in their seats to see Snape glowering at them. Ron’s mouth was full so he could only mumble and gesture but Snape wasn’t looking at him. He was staring at Harry’s face with narrowed eyes and Harry suddenly felt very nervous.

It didn’t help when Snape’s hand shot out to grasp his chin so he could examine his face more closely.

“Late for breakfast, despite Weasley’s obvious appetite,” he drawled as Harry squirmed in his seat.

“Dark rings around your eyes, pale skin, heavy lids,” he continued, his eyes becoming angrier as he continued.

“You two have been sneaking around the castle after hours.”

“We haven’t...,” Harry began with that half truth, it hadn’t been the castle they’d been sneaking around.

“Do not lie to me,” Snape hissed, bringing his whole body closer in a very intimidating way.

And frankly, it was working.

“I’m not....,” Harry mumbled as Ron finally swallowed all of his food.

“Have you any idea just how stupid that is?” Snape demanded, now including Ron in his ferocious glare. “I would have thought that after Miss Granger you might have developed a _minuet_ amount of sense in those _thick_ skulls but it seems I was being far too optimistic.”

The two boys were now blushing bright red at the scolding their professor was giving them, they knew they did deserve it.

“There is a killer roaming these halls,” Snape now continued harshly. “One that has so far put several students in the Hospital Wing and it is pure _chance_ none of them are dead, especially Miss Granger.”

“Do you understand?” he hissed, letting go of Harry’s chin but his glare was enough to pierce Harry’s very being.

“Y-yes sir,” the both stammered, wishing they were anywhere but here.

Snape now stood eying them distastefully.

“I think a few days helping in my lab would do you some good,” he drawled and they struggled not to groan. “Let’s see if you have any energy for night time wondering after that.”

He was about to turn when something occurred to him.

“And for the record,” he said silkily. “If not for the fact that corporal punishment is banned here at Hogwarts, I would take you both over my knee and you would both be two very sorry little boys.”

And with this last, ominous warning, he turned on his heel with a swish of black robes and stalked away. He left in his wake, two trembling boys who had taken his threat very seriously.

“Remind me never to let Snape catch us,” Ron whispered even when Snape was well out of earshot.

“Only if you remind me,” Harry said quietly back, he couldn’t believe what Snape had just said to them.

Though a small part of him was touched that Snape cared about their safety, it was still shocking that a teacher had just implied he would like nothing better than to spank them. This made Harry pray that the corporal punishment rule was never reintroduced.

Snape was right about one things, after about a week of doing chores for him, they were too tired to even think about rule breaking let alone do any. While the students thought he was being evil, the teachers seemed to think he was doing it to keep their minds of their friend. And in all fairness, doing something physical that was safe did take their minds off everything.

Nevertheless, they were very thankful when Snape decided they had done enough and finally released them from their duty. Nothing new had occurred while they’d been working, things were still bad though they’d been no new attacks. So the boys settled back into their previous routine, except there was no Hagrid to visit. They did try to visit Hermione as much as possible, thankful that she only looked like she was sleeping rather than a statue.

It was during one of these visits that Harry was mulling over all the information that they had so far. A strange voice that only he could hear, a seemingly invisible monster that petrified its victims and one that spiders feared? What did it all mean?

There was something else, some clue that he was missing. But he couldn’t think what it was.

Some more time past and they were getting closer and closer to the exams. Ron’s little sister Ginny seemed very pale and shaky but at the same time, looking better than she had about a month before.

Harry hadn’t forgotten about the diary he’d found but saw no need to speak with the person who dwelled within. After all, Tom Riddle hadn’t a clue who the Heir was and Harry doubted he could give them any new information. So, the diary remained locked in his trunk, under a couple of spare clothes.

But finally, as they neared the end of the school year, there was some good news. Professor McGonagall announced that the Mandrake leaves would soon be mature enough for Snape to brew a potion that would cure everyone that had been petrified. But what was even better was that Hermione was showing signs of waking up.

Harry and Ron were naturally very excited about this and they spent their spare time making some little gifts for her, including an enchanted card, a little box that had her name on it and Gryffindor colours that she could keep her favourite Sugar Quills and some nice notepads.

They both felt they needed their friend to help finally solve the mystery of the Chamber of secrets and couldn’t wait until she was awake. Ron said he wouldn’t even care if she nagged him about homework, he just wanted his friend back.

Another reason they made all those gifts was to cheer her up when she realised exams were still going ahead and she hadn’t had a chance to study. Although they were pretty sure she’d be excused like the others, they also knew she wouldn’t accept this very easily.

At long last, the day came when Professor McGonagall came to the Common Room and informed them that Hermione was awake and asked if they would like to see her. Their replies were so enthusiastic, that she smiled despite herself and bade them follow her.

By the time they got there, Madam Pomfrey had finished fussing over the sleepy eyed girl and allowed the two boys close. Hermione’s face let up when she saw they and she eagerly accepted their hugs though the Medi Witch warned them to be careful.

After that, they sat down on chairs and presented their friend with her gifts.

“Oh these are so lovely,” Hermione exclaimed, making the boys, especially Ron swell with pride.

“Sugar Quills,” she said in delight, she loved sucking them when she was working on a difficult piece of homework.

“I thought of those,” Ron was quick to point out and she gave him a winning smile.

“Thank you Ron, that was very thoughtful,” she said happily before asking. “So, has anything happened while I’ve been.....indisposed?”

They told her everything they knew, while making sure no one else overheard. At the end of it, Hermione was looking very thoughtful.

“You know, it’s funny but something you’ve said rings a bell....,” she said very slowly and the boys looked eager.

“Hermione, do you remember being attacked?” Harry asked softly.

“No, I’m sorry,” Hermione said unhappily. “That’s what Professor McGonagall and Snape wanted to know but I honestly can’t. I can’t even remember why I was in that corridor to begin with, especially as you had a Quidditch Match.”

“You said you had to go to the library,” Harry said, remembering that day. “Hermione, I think you found something, something to do with the Chamber and that’s why you were attacked.”

“They must have heard you in the Great Hall,” Ron said, paling. “And anyone who knows you, knows that when you go to the library, it’s because you’ve realised something.”

Hermione paled at that as well so Harry quickly said.

“Don’t worry, this time, we won’t let you out of our sight, no one’s going to get their hands on you.”

“Thank you,” she said gratefully.

“No problem,” Harry said with a smile.

Hermione was kept there a little longer for observation but eventually Madam Pomfrey let her go. She still couldn’t remember what had happened, though the teachers bade her to come if she ever did. She promised but sadly her mind was a blank.

She was optimistic, as she told the boys, she felt all she needed was a little nudge in the right direction and she’d remember.

But nothing happened until the day Professor McGonagall finally announced that the Mandrake leaves were ready and Professor Snape was in the process of brewing the potion. It was be ready by evening and this news made everyone cheer. Even some of the Slytherins looked happy though some like Malfoy didn’t.

The trio went to their classes very happy, this was fantastic news. Even Snape’s glowering couldn’t dampen their spirits at that moment. He had them do a relatively simple potion which mostly involved putting ingredients in at precisely the right time. But something happened in that class which changed everything.

“The venom is highly potent so be sure not to spill even a single drop onto your bare skin,” Snape was saying, explaining what happened if it got into their blood stream.

“Do not waste any of it either, this particular kind is not easy to get, unless of course you happen to be a Parseltongue,” he finished as an afterthought, shooting Harry a smirk.

This made Harry wonder if he could get potion ingredients that others had trouble getting. But Hermione on the other hand was frozen in her seat, her mouth open in shock. Ron, surprisingly, was the first to notice.

“Hermione, you alright?” he asked with a frown.

“I....yes,” she said dazedly.

“I’ll explain after class,” she added, shaking herself out of her revelry so she could concentrate on the task at hand.

Harry and Ron gave her curious looks but knew it was better to wait until after class. Thankfully, it was lunch time so they were escorted to the Great Hall and after Snape had left them, Hermione dragged them aside.

“Harry, I just remembered something, I know why I went to the library that day.”

“Why?” Harry asked urgently and she quickly explained that she realised that the voice Harry had been hearing all year had to be a snake.

“So I looked up possible candidates and this is what I found out,” Hermione said grimly as she explained all about Basilisks. How spiders fled before them, how they could live for hundreds of years and, most importantly, how they killed.

“They kill with their stare,” she explained. “But everyone who was attacked never looked at them directly.”

“Creevey with his camera,” Ron nearly yelled in his excitement.

“Justin saw through Nick but Nick couldn’t be killed a second time,” Harry said, getting into the rhythm of it.

“What about Mrs Norris?” Ron questioned and Harry reminded him about how there had been so much water.

“And I must have warned that perfect not to go away without a mirror,” Hermione finished though she did look a bit confused about something. “So why wasn’t I petrified?”

“I think I know,” Harry said grimly. “It was the perfect who looked round that corner and you...probably closed your eyes or something, so it whacked you, trying to get you to open them.”

“That’s why I had those cracked ribs,” Hermione said softly before saying in a slightly frightened voice.

“But it wasn’t just the Basilisk there, someone else was there and they cursed me.....”

“When you wouldn’t let yourself get petrified,” Harry said, feeling hot anger course trhough his body at the way his friend had been treated. “They wouldn’t let the snake bite you because then it would have been obvious what was attacking everyone.”

“But hang on,” Ron now said. “We’re talking about a filthy great snake, how the hell has it been sneaking around with no one seeing it?”

“Pipes,” Hermione said grimly. “And that’s why Harry’s been hearing it in the walls. And it’s possible to get into or out of those pipes in certain areas of the school.”

“Bloody hell,” Ron said, running a hand through his hair.

Suddenly, Harry got one of the biggest brainwaves ever.

“Aragog said the girl died in a bathroom,” he said slowly. “You don’t think it’s....”

“Moaning Myrtle,” they all cried at once, causing several people to look at them oddly.

“Come on, we have to go talk to her,” Harry said as Ron cast a longing look into the Great Hall as some students came out, including his little sister Ginny.

“We’ll get lunch later Ron,” Hermione said impatiently, waiting to solve this mystery once and for all.

“Okay,” he said grumpily as Ginny past. “Hey, maybe we call tell that prat Tom Riddle he got it completely wrong.”

“Yes, I’m sure we can,” Hermione said offhandedly, not noticing how Ginny froze.

The three of them rushed through the corridors, utterly intent on their mission. Thankfully, everyone was at dinner so no one saw them and they reached the bathroom without difficulty. As soon as they were there, Harry called.

“Myrtle!”

“What do you want?” the gloomy ghost asked, rising from behind a stall.

“To ask you how you died?” Harry said simply.

“Really?” Myrtle squealed as though no one had ever asked her such a flattering question.

And Harry had a feeling no one ever had.

“Oh, it was so dreadful,” Myrtle said with relish. “I remember it so well.”

And she went on to talk about how another girl had been teasing her so she hid in here. And how she’d heard a boy, speaking in another language and she opened the door to tell him to go away.

“And then,” Myrtle said dramatically. “I died.”

“Um, how?” Ron couldn’t help but ask.

“I don’t know,” Myrtle said with a shrug. “All I remember is a pair of great glowing yellow eyes.”

She jerked her head in the direction of the ring of sinks.

“Over there.”

The three went over, examining the sinks closely. Finally, Ron said.

“Here, look at this.”

One sink had a serpent engraved upon it, none of the others had that.

“That sink’s never worked,” Myrtle said cheerfully, she was in a better mood than they’d ever seen her.

“Wonder how it opens?” Ron now said to which Hermione said. “I think only a Parseltongue can.”

“Let’s try it,” Harry said, staring at the snake and trying to imagine it was real.

_“Open up.”_

There was a kiss as the snakes eyes glowed red before the sinks separated and rose into the air. The trio jumped back as this happened, watching as the sinks disappeared to reveal a huge, black hole.

“Wow,” was all Ron could say as they edged closer to stare down it.

“Looks like a slide,” Harry said, seeing the angle wasn’t a straight one.

“This must connect to all sorts of other pipes,” Hermione said thoughtfully. “It’s the perfect place to stash a huge snake.”

“But how does it survive?” Ron asked aloud.

“How should I know?” Myrtle said loudly behind him and he jumped.

Unfortunately, this caused him to slip on some slimy water on the floor and he plunged straight down the hole before his friends could stop him.

“Ron,” Hermione cried as his yell of surprise died away.

“Come on,” Harry said, taking Hermione’s hand and they took jumped in after Ron.

They whizzed down a slide with levelled out a few downs before plunging straight down. After turning a sharp corner, they collided with a soft form who turned out to be Ron.

“You’re alright,” Hermione cried, flinging her arms around him, even though he was a bit slimy.

“Yeah, was actually kinda fun,” Ron said, nervously hugging her back as Harry looked around the place they had landed.

It was the beginning of a damp tunnel and the ground was littered with the bones of small animals, mostly rats by the look of it. The walls gave off a strange glow which meant they could see somewhat. Sadly, it didn’t look like they’d be able to climb the pipe they’d just come down.

“What are we going to do now?” Ron asked in fear, looking at Harry.

“I think we should see if there’s a way out of here,” Harry said. “And if.....if we see the Basilisk, maybe I can talk to it.”

“You’d need to talk quick,” Ron muttered but he agreed with the plan.

They walked all along the damp tunnel until they found their way blocked by a snake covered seal. But as soon as Harry commanded it to open, it did so, the snakes sliding back into the dripping stone, causing the three of them to shiver. Climbing through, they found themselves inside a cavern that had a high ceiling and was very long. Large snakes heads with gaping mouths guarded the entrances to other, smaller tunnels but straight ahead of them, right at the very end was a huge statue.

They slowly made their way to it, it was the statue of a man with long robes and a short beard. He had a cunning, clever look about him, even though he was made of stone. Hermione broke the silence, her voice echoing slightly.

“That must be Slytherin.”

“Looks cheerful,” Ron muttered softly, the man wasn’t smiling.

He just looked very knowingly at them, as though he knew what they were up to.

“What now?” Hermione asked, looking around the chamber. “I don’t see any sign of it.”

“Maybe it’s sleeping?” Ron suggested, looking nervously about as if it was about to jump out at them.

“I bet you have to call it,” Harry said slowly. “I mean, I doubt it just hangs around.”

“Makes sense,” Hermione said, very nervous now.

“We’ll be alright,” Harry assured her. “It’ll be curious about me, I think as I’m a speaker. Just stick really close to me and I’ll talk to it.”

“Okay,” she squeaked, moving as close as possible to Harry, Ron following her led.

Harry took a deep breath, staring at the snakes on the wall that surrounded Slytherin and spoke.

_“Hello, my name is Harry Potter, is there anyone here?”_

For a moment, there was silence as Ron and Hermione pressed closer to him. And then there was a scraping noise and they looked up in shock at the statue whose mouth was opening.

Ron swore before forcing his eyes to the floor, his two friends doing the same. They heard a heavy thump and knew something huge had just landed on the floor. They heard it slither in their direction before it paused.

_“Sssspeaker, are you here?”_

_“Yes,”_ Harry answered. _“I am a Speaker and these two are my friends.”_

_“Why are you here, ssssspeaker?”_

_“We wanted to meet you,”_ Harry answered honestly and the Basilisk was silent at this.

 _“Were you sent?”_ it finally said and Harry shook his head.

_“No, but we knew about the legend of the Chamber of Secrets and we worked out that you lived here. So we came to see you.”_

_“Hmmm, that sounds like the sort of thing Gryffindor would do,”_ the Basilisk now said and Harry could have sworn it sniffed in disapproval.

 _“We are Gryffindors,”_ Harry admitted. _“Um, does that bother you?”_

_“No, my master was good friends with Gryffindor, he just thought he was very rash.”_

_“Uh, yeah, I think we can be sometimes,”_ Harry said softly, feeling the others shift beside him.

 _“What’s your name?”_ Harry decided to ask.

 _“I will tell you but you must look at me,”_ it replied. _“I will cover my eyesssss so they do not freezzzze you.”_

 _“May my friends look?”_ Harry questioned and got a slight hissing chuckle in return.

_“I expect it, little one.”_

“Look up,” Harry said to his friends. “It’s safe now.”

The three of them trembled but did as told. They gasped at the sight of the monstrous serpent eyeing them from above. It towered above them, with bright green scales that gleamed in the low light. It looked like its scales were thick enough to act as armour and it stood proudly with a red feathery frill on its head.

But as they looked into its face, they saw that the huge yellow eyes were glazed over and realised that it must have an extra eye lid to protect from its gaze. A long tongue flicked in and out, tasting their scent as they gaped at it.

“Wow,” Hermione finally said in awe as Ron nodded dumbly.

 _“My friends are very....impressed,”_ Harry quickly said.

“Of course,” the serpent replied, drawing its self even more.

Harry couldn’t help but tremble slightly because as it spoke, massive, dagger like teeth was revealed. This snake clearly didn’t need to rely on its deadly gaze. He swallowed before asking.

_“What is your name, great one?”_

_“My massster named me Ethelinda, for the noble sssssnake I am.”_

Harry blinked, this was a female snake? He quickly said to his friends.

“Her name’s Ethelinda.”

“She’s a girl?” Ron said, gawking at Harry, barely able to believe what he’d just heard.

Harry nodded before turned back to her.

_“I’m sorry to ask but have you been attacking students this year?”_

_“My massster placed me here to defend this sssschool,”_ she replied. _“His heir came and said the school was in danger again so I emerged from my slumber to help.”_

She tasted the air again before saying.

_“I remember a sssscent.”_

_“You attacked my friend, Hermione,”_ Harry said quietly.

 _“Ah yesss, I did,”_ Ethelinda said, peering at Hermione who looked very nervous at the gaze.

 _“But Hermione is not a danger to this school,”_ Harry said quickly. “ _There is no danger, not at the moment and definitely not from Muggleborns.”_

 _“But Muggleborns bring danger to this ssssacred place,”_ Ethelinda argued. _"My master knew this and that is why I am here.”_

“What’s she saying?” Hermione asked and Harry quickly told her.

She looked thoughtful at this as Ron frowned. Harry wasn’t sure how he was going to explain to Ethelinda that things had changed.

“I think I understand,” Hermione suddenly said and as the two boys turned to look at her, she explained. “Think about the time period we’re talking about, over a thousand years ago. Back then, anyone who was from a different culture, religion or even a different country was regarded with suspicion. Just imagine the fighting between wizards and muggles there must have been.”

“You’re right,” Harry said slowly. “We learned in primary about Vikings and Romans attacking Britain. And the Crusades, that was really bloody.”

Ron suddenly looked like he had a brainwave.

“Yeah, and if there were muggles who were half as horrible as your relatives, no wonder Slytherin thought they were bad.”

“He might not have necessarily thought all Muggleborns were bad,” Hermione now said in excitement. “But I bet there was a real risk that some Muggleborns might feel isolated among all those who had Magical blood and they could have ended up as spies for Witch Hunters. So he wouldn’t want to take that risk that the school he’d worked so hard to build might be destroyed.”

“That makes sense,” Ron said, nodding. “It’s only Muggleborns you hear about him hating, you don’t really hear anything about Half Bloods.”

“He would have probably thought Half Bloods to be more influenced by their magical parent,” Hermione said with a smile at how everything was coming together. “And of course, Pure Bloods would definitely have never led Muggles to Hogwarts.”

“And that’s why Slytherin stands for cunning and loyalty to its own,” Harry finished with a grin.

They all grinned at each other, ecstatic by their deductions. But they had momentarily forgotten the presence of the being who resided there.

 _“What are you chattering about?”_ Ethelinda demanded, moving closer to them.

 _“I’m sorry,”_ Harry quickly apologised. _“We were just trying to figure some stuff out.”_

“She wants to know what we were talking about,” Harry quickly whispered in English to his friends.

“Oh Harry, please explain to her how everything’s different now,” Hermione urged him. “Wizards aren’t hunted any more, Muggleborns come to Hogwarts only to become Wizards and they are happy to be.”

“Right,” Harry said, before facing Ethelinda and looking at her glazed over eyes.

 _“I’m sorry for taking so long, we get a bit...excited when we find out something,”_   he explained in a respectful tone.

 _“And what issss it that you have found out, young one?”_ she questioned.

 _“Well, basically, a lot of time has past since your master put you here,”_ Harry began in a firm voice.

_When he left, he wanted you to protect Hogwarts from anyone who might harm it or the students?”_

_“That is correct young one,”_ she said, looking very curious. _“But what is it that you were talking about?”_

 _“Things are different now,”_ Harry explained. _“Muggles don’t know about Wizards any more, just in stories.”_

 _“How can this be?”_ Ethelinda questioned in disbelief.

 _“About three hundred years ago, the Ministry past an Act of Secrecy,”_ Harry said, not sure about the exact wording. _“But it decreed that we live in a separate world to Muggles. Only Muggles who have magical kids or marry Witches and Wizards know about us.”_

 _“This is......unexpected,”_ she said softly. _“I was told that Muggles still despise us.”_

 _“Some do,”_ Harry said truthfully. _“But some Wizards hate Muggles even when they’ve never met them. But that doesn’t mean all Muggles are bad, most are good.”_

He took a deep breath, wishing Hermione could speak Parseltongue, she could explain so _much better than him._

_“Things are different nowadays. I mean, there’s still a lot of prejudice out there but most people don’t have a problem with others cultures and stuff.”_

He looked towards his friends, who in some ways were so different and yet they were all so close.

 _“Slytherin didn’t despise Muggleborns and Half Bloods, did he?”_ Harry asked the great serpent.

_“No, snakeling, he didn’t. But some of the Muggleborns were dangerous.”_

Harry nodded.

 _“But it’s not like that now,”_ he said softly. “ _All the Muggleborns that come here, want to be here, they consider themselves Magical. And I....I think this is what the four Founders wanted.”_

He took another deep breath, then took a step back, wrapping his arms around his two friend.

 _“The three of us are really different,”_ he began, indicating Ron first.

_“Ron’s a Pureblood but he doesn’t hate Muggles. He’s brave enough for Gryffindor but loyal enough for Hufflepuff.”_

_“I’m a Half Blood, and though I’m a Gryffindor, I could have been a Slytherin. And I think I could have also gone to Hufflepuff.”_

And now he looked at Hermione.

_“And Hermione’s a Muggleborn but she’s the most brilliant witch in the school. She could have easily ended up in Ravenclaw but she chose to be a Gryffindor.”_

As his two best friends wrapped their arms around him, sensing that he was saying something important, he finished with.

_“These two are my best friends and they always will be. I trust them more than I trust anything else and I’d be willing to risk my life for them and I know they would to. They have, they support me even though I’m.....marked.”_

He pointed to his lightning bolt shaped scar, the thing that his friends never looked at. They saw past his Boy-Who-Lived personal and saw only Harry. He honestly didn’t know what he’d do without them.

 _“They're.....they're my family,”_ he said softly, his voice nearly breaking with emotion but he had to get this point across.

 _“You truly care for them,”_ Ethelinda said softly with a gentle hiss. _“And I can see they feel the same way, they stand at your side as you dare to face the Queen of Serpents. I have not seen such love and devotion since.....the Four Founders of this great castle.”_

 _“They were good friends?”_ Harry asked with interest and she bobbed her head.

 _“Brothers and sisters, little one,”_ she answered gently.

Harry grinned.

 _“I’d love to learn more about them,”_ he said earnestly before remembering his friends. _"We all would, I think a lot has been lost about what kind of people they were really like.”_

“Wish I knew what they were saying,” Ron couldn’t help but say as Harry and Ethelinda continued hissing and Hermione sighed.

“I know what you mean.”

Harry gave Ethelinda a small sad smile.

_“My friends wish they could talk to you as well,” he said sadly. “It’s really strange for them.”_

_“But they still trust you to speak with me?”_ she questioned and Harry asked his friends this.

“Of course we do,” Hermione said, nodding rapidly.

“Yeah, Harry’s good at talking.....I wouldn’t know what to say,” Ron mumbled, his ears a little red.

Harry didn’t need to translate this, Ethelinda got the message. She titled her head, regarding them with her piercing stare.

 _“True loyal friends,”_ she murmured softly, seemingly thinking something over.

And then she said something none of them were expecting.

_“If I could give them the gift of Speaking, would they take it?”_

_“I...how would you do that?”_ Harry asked, astonished.

 _“Tell them to open their mouth and stick their tongues out,”_ she commanded. _“It will sting briefly but they must not close their mouths until I say so.”_

Harry repeated what Ethelinda had said, causing his friends to look as shocked as he felt.

“What’s she going to do?” Ron asked as Hermione said. “Will be really be able to speak with her.”

 _“They will be able to communicate better with magical ssssnakes,”_ Ethelinda now said to Harry _. “But over time, if they have an ear for it, they could speak with other sssssnakes. But you will always be the true Sssspeaker.”_

Harry again, repeated what she said.

“Are you....,” Ron began before swallowing and trying again. “Can we trust her?”

Harry looked back at her, trying to judge what his instinct was telling him. He finally nodded as he said.

“I think so but maybe you guys should close your eyes or something, just in case.”

“O-okay,” Hermione said with a slight tremble, lifting her head, opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out.

Ron did the same, squeezing his eyes shut like her. Harry watched as Ethelinda opened her mouth, revealing all her fangs and hovering over the open mouths. As he watched, drops of venom formed on her two largest fangs until she had two large droplets.

She bent nearer until she was very close to them. And then suddenly, the droplets fell, splashing onto the waiting tongues. Harry saw his friends flinch but they managed to keep still as the venom glowed and then disappeared.

 _“They can close their mouths now,”_ Ethelinda said softly, raising her head again, away from the three children.

 But before Harry could say anything, they did it, smacking their lips slightly as though trying to taste what had been on their tongue. Venom still dripped from Ethelinda’s fangs and Hermione quickly held out a bottle to catch some of it, the Basilisk wasn’t bothered.

 _“I can’t taste anything,”_ Hermione said in wonder as she tucked the bottle away. _“And....it doesn’t hurt.”_

 _“Of course not, young one,”_ Ethelinda said softly, causing Ron and Hermione to stare at her.

 _“Bloody hell,”_ Ron couldn’t help but say. _“I know what you’re saying”_

 _“Indeed, that was my intent,”_ Ethelinda said with a chuckle.

 _“Oh my, this is so incredible,”_ Hermione said in delight.

 _“It’s great,”_ Harry said firmly with a grin. _“Now I’m not the only one.”_

His friends smiled at the look of relief on his face. He really hated being the sole centre of attention.

 _“You’re certainly not,”_ Hermione said with a wide smile.

 _“Hey guys,”_ Ron now said. _“I don’t want to spoil this but how are we going to get out of here?”_

 _“I shall take you,”_ Ethelinda announced and they stared at her.

 _“I have done it before,”_ she said, not sounding concerned at all. _"Climb onto my back and I shall take you.”_

They did as told, climbing onto her warm, surprisingly smooth skin.

 _“You won’t attack anyone else?”_ Hermione asked in concern. _“I mean, there really isn’t any danger from Muggleborns.”_

_“I will not though it would be nice to have some proper food. I tire of small rodents.”_

_“We’ll make sure you get plenty of food,”_ Harry assured her as they were taken along the tunnel at a rapid pace.

They clung on as she suddenly shot up the slide, using her powerful muscles to grip the slide’s wall. They emerged into the bathroom, blinking at the bright sunlight. Myrtle was nowhere to be seen but they weren’t sorry. They had a feeling she’d panic at the sight of Ethelinda.

 _“Thank you,”_ Harry said gratefully as they jumped off her back. _“We’ll come back soon with food.”_

_“Just throw it down the hole little one, I will sssssense it.”_

_“We will,”_ Ron promised, feeling a little bit braver.

 _“Wait,”_ Hermione cried as Ethelinda started to descend back into the depth. _"What was the name of the heir?”_

 _“He called himself Tom Riddle,”_ Ethelinda answered before her head disappeared down the hole.

The sinks trembled and then shifted back into place, sealing the Chamber once more. But the trio were left shocked.

“Tom Riddle did this?” Hermione said in shock.

“Bastard,” Ron snarled. “He framed Hargid.”

“But how’s he opening the chamber now?” Harry wondered aloud as they began to walk out of the bathroom and along the corridor. “He’d be what, sixty five or something by now. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“I think we need to hand that diary in,” Hermione said with concern.

“Right now, I don’t care about classes and don’t give me that look,” she added before they could do anything. “If that monster has anything to do with what’s been happening.”

“Don’t worry, that’s what we’re going to do,” Harry said grimly and the three of them hurried straight to their Common Room.

Since everyone was at classes, they didn’t meet anyone for which they were thankful. They knew they’d probably been missed and would be in a lot of trouble. They’d rather have the diary in their hands before that happened.

They entered without trouble and quickly headed up to the boys dormitory. But there, they got a huge shock.

The whole room was in disarray, as though someone had been searching for something in a great hurray. But that wasn’t what drew their eyes, for there, standing near Harry’s bed was an older boy wearing a perfect badge and Slytherin robes.

“You!” Harry exclaimed as Tom Riddle smirked.

“Indeed, Harry Potter and these must be your dear little friends, the Mudblood and the blood traitor.”

“How did you get here?” Harry demanded, pointing his wand like Hermione and Ron.

Riddle laughed lightly.

“It’s quite a surprise isn’t it? But I can’t blame you for I have done what no other has done before.”

“Just like Percy,” Ron muttered to Harry.

“What are you?” Hermione demanded.

Riddle ignored her, focusing on Harry.

“Tell me, how did a little baby defeat the greatest wizard of all time?”

Harry frowned, that was a strange question to ask at a time like this.

“What do you care, Voldemort was way before your time,” he said slowly as Riddle laughed.

“Voldemort is my past, present and future,” he sneered before waving a wand to write the words ‘Tom Marvolo Riddle’ in the before giving his wand a flick.

“Oh my,” Hermione gasped as the words formed ‘I am Lord Voldemort’.

“Yes, you puny children, I am your worst nightmare made real,” Riddle sneered but Harry wouldn’t back down.

“You're just a memory, you can’t hurt us,” he said hotly and Riddle gave a very evil smile.

“That was true once upon a time but things have changed, I can hurt you now. And would you like to know who helped me accomplish this goal?”

“Who?” Ron sneered. “Some Slytherin?”

“Oh no, Ronald Weasley, that’s the best part, it was a _Gryffindor,”_ Riddle said with a very wide sneer now. “And not just any Gryffindor either.”

He stepped to the side, grasping Harry’s drawn drapes around his bed and giving them a tug to reveal what was within.

“But this little Gryffindor.”

There, lying bound and gagged was a whimpering Ginny Weasley, tears streaking down his face as she stared at the shocked trio. She was lying on her front, her feet near the headrest, her face lying on its side as tears leaked down her face.

“Poor little thing,” Riddle said with a sneer. “She overheard you at lunch and knew you had my diary. And the little wench couldn’t stop herself trying to get it back.”

He laughed as Ron made to lunge at him but was held back by Harry and Hermione.

“Bastard, I’ll kill you,” Ron snarled, fighting to get at him.

“Without a wand?” Riddle said with a raised eyebrow.

“I can see why you’re a Blood Traitor Weasley, if you prefer your fists to a wand.”

“Some things are more satisfying the _muggle_ way,” Ron growled, wishing he could beat the monster who’d hurt his sister to a pulp.

Riddle merely sneered, twiddling Ginny’s wand in his hands.

“Sadly, you wouldn’t get even a step forward before I cursed you,” he said in a matter of fact tone. “I would really hate to have to do that to a Pure Blood.”

“Ginny’s a Pure Blood,” Hermione hissed indignantly at how much of a hypocrite he was.

“Hmm, yes,” Riddle said with a small nod, running his hand through Ginny’s lovely red hair. “It would be a shame to kill her, she should be continuing the Pure Blood line. I could always take your life force in her stead.”

“You’re not taking anyone’s life force,” Harry growled as Ron now recovered enough to point his wand again.

“How amusing,” Riddle sneered. “I haven’t had target practise in a while now. But I’d still like my question answered.”

“Fine, you want to know what stopped you,” Harry said with a sneer of his own. “My mother, a mere _Muggleborn_ stopped the Darkest wizard there’s ever been and he never even saw it coming. You should see what you look like now, an ugly, weak spirit that has to feed on others to survive. You’re pathetic.”

Riddle’s face twisted in fury for a moment but then it relaxed back into a sneer.

“So, it wasn’t you that stopped me. Pure luck, that’s all it was, there’s nothing special about you, Harry Potter.”

“Ha, that’s what you think,” Ron said smugly, sharing a knowing look with Hermione.

This younger Dark lord didn’t know any of the things Harry had done and this was only their second year at Hogwarts. Who knew what else he’d accomplish in the years to come.

“It matters not,” Riddle said coldly. “I’m going to kill you, take the girl and be on my way. Although, I may just open a little chamber on my way out.”

“Good luck with that,” Hermione said primly and Riddle glared at her.

“What?”

“The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, in Myrtle’s bathroom,” Hermione said with a small smile. “I’m afraid you won’t be using that, in fact, no one will ever be able to use it ever again.”

Harry and Ron were so grim that their expressions didn’t change at this as Riddle’s eyes widened in shock and anger.

“You filthy little Mudblood,” he snarled, raising his wand in a slashing movement.”

Ron grabbed Hermione and they lunged out of the way as Harry threw himself in the other direction. The wooden door behind them exploded with pieces of splinters flying, leaving several nasty gashes in the ancient wood. Ron shielded Hermione with his body but Harry was already jumping into action.

He shot several jinxes at Riddle while keeping on the move but Riddle managed to block them. But then a stinging jink hit his arm and he turned his head to see that Ron and Hermione were in the fight. But no matter how many jinxes and hexes they threw at him, he blocked them all and they had to run and duck as he returned with even nastier spells.

Finally, Ron resorted to more drastic measures, as Riddle blocked another jinx from Harry, he chucked a sharp piece of wood like a javelin at him. It pierced his side and Riddle snarled at this while Ron looked triumphant.

But this soon turned to shock as Riddle simply pulled it out, the wound disappearing in an instant. They gaped, how had he done that?

“You can’t hurt me,” Riddle said with a mocking laugh.

“I am Lord Voldemort and even if you shot Avada Kadava at me, it wouldn’t have an effect. I am truly the greatest wizard of all....”

“You’re not,” Harry hissed, ignoring a gash in his left arm.

“What?” Riddle snapped again, eyes flashing red as he glared at Harry.

“Dumbledore is the world’s greatest sorcerer, not you Riddle. He was the only thing you ever feared when you were at the height of your power and he never fell for any of your acts. Next to him, you’re nothing.”

“Dumbledore has been driven from this school by the mere _memory_ of me,” Riddle hissed in fury.

“Dumbledore will never been gone, not as long as there are people who believe in him,” Harry said in a voice that seemed far beyond his years.

Before Riddle could answer, there was a sudden flash of bright light and a Phoenix appeared, keening a sweet song as it flew around the ruined dormitory room. It clutched something in its talons which was dropped at Harry’s feet before the bird went to land on a far bed post.

Harry quickly scooped up what Fawkes had brought but to his disappointment, it was just the old school Sorting Hat. Hermione and Ron looked unhappy by this as well but Riddle was ecstatic.

“A hat?” he cackled, his face twisted in ugliness. “This is what Dumbledore sends his great defender, ha, ha, ha, ha.”

“A hat?” Hermione murmured softly as Harry looked up, his shoulders slumped.

But he noticed, as Riddle continued laughing, that Ginny was moaning louder and struggling more. As he turned slightly, he saw that she was in fact, trying to point to something. He followed where she was looking and saw the diary lying on his bedside cabinet.

And somehow he knew that this was the key to defeating the seemingly invincible Tom Riddle.

“Ha, ha, ha, well, as amusing as this was, I think we need to get back to business,” Riddle sneered, sending a curse at Harry which forced him to drop behind a bed.

Still holding the Sorting Hat, he jammed it onto his head, thinking desperately.

“Help, we need help.”

Something fell heavily onto his head. Blinking stars, he pulled his head out of the hat and found he was holding a ruby encrusted sword. He gazed at it, feeling a sense of strange joy explode inside him. Gripping it, he stood up, though the sword was hidden at his side.

He was just in time to see Hermione diving out of the way, a small bottle flying from her pocket. He couldn’t do anything, it smashed against the hard surface of the sword and its contents dripped down its side.

“I tire of this,” Riddle said, lazily disarming Ron so that his wand flew into his hand.

“So do I,” Harry said boldly. “So come on, try and disarm me.”

“You’re daring me?” Riddle sneered, now aiming Ron’s wand at Harry.

“Yep, I am,” Harry said coolly.

“Very well, Accio,”

But with a bang, Ron’s wand backfired on him and Riddle went flying back.

“Hermione, the diary,” Harry yelled and she didn’t need to be told twice.

As Riddle was rubbing his head where he’d fallen, Hermione waved her waved and yelled.

“Wingardium Leviosa!”

The diary flew into the air as Harry charged forward, raising the sword high. Riddle saw what was happening and tried to scramble to his feet, screaming, ‘No!’

But Harry brought the sword down, stabbing through the very centre of the little black book. Black ink squirted out everywhere as Riddle screamed. Light exploded from him as he screamed in pain and fury and then he exploded.

Harry stood breathing heavily, the diary now impaled on the sword, Hermione and Ron standing behind him. But then Ginny moaned and he dropped the sword to rush to her side with his friends.

“Ginny,” Ron cried, yanking the gag out of her mouth and seizing her into a tight hug.

“Ron, careful, I think she might be hurt,” Hermione cautioned, using her wand to cut the binding ropes.

“Sorry,” Ron apologised but Ginny threw herself into his arms regardless.

“I’m so sorry,” she wept. “This is all my fault, I-I didn’t know...”

“We’re not blaming you,” Harry said gently, rubbing her back. “Riddle fooled us, it’s not your fault.”

“But I attacked people, including Hermione,” Ginny wailed, staring at Hermione with haunted eyes. “He cursed her when she wouldn’t give in, and he let me watch the whole thing.”

“Ginny, I don’t blame you,” Hermione said firmly. “Riddle was a monster, not you and not Ethelinda.”

“Ethelinda?” Ginny said confused as Ron lifted her up into his arms.

“Oh, um, we met the Basislisk,” Hermione said with a small smile. “But you don’t need to worry, she’s quite nice when you get to know her.”

“Uh, let’s talk about this later,” Ron advised as Ginny stared at her busy haired friend.

“Good idea,” Harry said, bending to grab Ron and Ginny’s wand.

“I’m not sure this will work again,” he told Ron softly as they headed for the exit.

“I don’t care,” Ron said, holding his sister close.

Harry smiled and promised he’d himself that if Ron’s parents had trouble, he’d get Ron a new wand. After all the Weasleys had done, it was the least he could do. He still carried the sword which had the dripping diary hanging off it.

They got out of the tower and were walking along the corridor when they run into Snape, who looked livid.

“You three,” he snarled, seeing them coming towards them.

“Where the hell have you been......?”

He stopped at the sight of Ginny, whimpering in Ron’s arms. She looked bruised and miserable while the other three looked battered and bloody. And for some reason, Potter was holding a sword with a book stuck on the end.

“It’s a long story, sir,” Harry said with a very tired smile as his Potion’s master stared at him.

“Very long story.”

**Author's Note:**

> I thought it was interesting to explore a basilisk that wasn't evil, especially if Harry managed to speak with it when Tom Riddle wasn't around. The bit about Ron and Hermione being able to speak to her is just a bit of fun I added. 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed this, please leave a comment if you did.


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